December 11 – Wednesday
It was break time between classes and the students had taken the opportunity to go to the bathroom, or others had simply gotten up to stretch their legs and chat with their classmates. Sakura, who sat in the penultimate row next to the window, was taking advantage of the break to organize her notes.
"Sakura," Sasuke called her, who had approached her table. “Do you already have the gift of your Secret Santa?”
“No, I haven't thought about what to give them yet. And you, Sasuke-kun, already have your gift?”
"No," he replied, shaking his head. “Can I know who you got? I’ve got that one over there” he pointed with his finger to a Kakashi who was sitting behind him at his teacher's desk.
“I see... Well, I have that other one over there” Sakura replied pointing to a Naruto who was being punished by Kakashi and Iruka.
Sasuke glanced surreptitiously at where Sakura had indicated and returned to his place while asking Sakura “Do you want to meet this Saturday to buy the gifts, you and me?” Sakura turned in her chair to look at Sasuke, who was behind her. “To be honest, I'm having a hard time deciding what to give Kakashi, and I had thought that if we went together, we could help each other.”
“I think it's a good plan” Sakura replied with a radiant smile; she was going to spend Saturday with Sasuke “At 11 a.m. at the entrance of the mall?”
“Deal. Between now and Saturday we must try to make sure that the fool doesn't find out or he will want to join us, and we won't be able to buy him his gift” Sasuke replied while they both looked at a Naruto who was still being punished by a furious Iruka and a calm Kakashi.
December 14 – Saturday
“Sorry for being late Sasuke-kun, the bus was going slower than normal. Have you been waiting for a long time?” asked a panting Sakura as she loosened the pink scarf she was wearing.
“Don't worry, my brother has brought me by car, so I arrived recently.”
Sakura was dressed in a brown coat and red shoulder bag, underneath which she wore a wide maroon cardigan, a pink miniskirt and brown high boots. She was wearing a half ponytail with a red bow and had put on some makeup. Sasuke was wearing a navy blue jacket, underneath it he was wearing a beige sweatshirt and jeans along with white sneakers. The mall was filled with Christmas decorations, with a large tree in the center and carols playing over the loudspeakers.
“And well, do you have anything in mind for the present?” Sakura asked as they entered the mall.
“Well... It's a bit obvious, but I was thinking of a book, but I don't know which one.”
“That's what I'm here for, to help you decide which one” Sakura replied with a wink and Sasuke couldn't help but smile.
“And you, have you thought of anything for Naruto?”
"No," she replied with her head bowed. “Being Naruto, he will like anything, but I want to give him something that can be useful to him.”
They were proposing ideas for both presents as they made their way to the bookstore.
They were inside the bookstore, specifically in the romance section, looking for what book Kakashi might like.
“Are you sure Kakashi will like this?” asked a skeptical Sasuke as he looked at the two books he was carrying in his hand.
“Haven't you seen the books he reads while we are in class?” A Sakura who was crouching down looking for more books on the shelf replied.
“Yes, but don't ‘The Night We Fell in Love’ or ‘When I Look at You, I Only Think About Undressing You’ seem very mediocre?”
“I see you've never read one of these eh, Sasuke-kun” replied the pinkette laughing who had turned her neck to look at him, Sasuke thought she looked adorable, and his cheeks were dyed a little pink “The more seedy the title, the better the story, like this one, it's about two men from opposite worlds and who can't be together because they hate each other but at the same time they do the impossible to be together” she told him while handing him another book.
“’You are the ruby of my heart’” he said muttering to himself. “Sakura, have you ever read any of these?”
“Eh?! Well... I take note of what Kakashi-sensei reads, in case any of them are interesting...” replied the pinkette who did not dare to look at him because she was blushing.
“And how about that one over there?”
“’Unbridled Passion’. I hadn't heard of him," Sakura got up from the ground and went to pick up the book they had seen. “It seems to have come out two days ago," she said as she glanced at it and read the synopsis. ‘Two high school teachers are in love, but they can't let the rest know that they like each other, so to disguise, they pretend to hate each other and when the weekend comes, they release all that hatred in an unbridled passion.’ Quite appropriate for Kakashi-sensei... I think we have a winner Sasuke-kun” Sakura said with a smile, and they went to pay for the book.
“I think that along with the book I will give him something else” Sasuke commented as they walked through the mall in search of the next present.
“Uh?”
“Naruto told me that Kakashi and Obito when they were little, they played ninja turtles, or so his father told him, also Naruto saw that in his office he has a figure of the rat master.”
“Well, let's go to the figure shop, and see if they have anything.”
Before arriving at the said store, Sasuke stood in front of a shop window, he had found the perfect present for Naruto. There, in the window, he had seen a winter jacket of a phosphorite orange, the end of the sleeves with black stripes, and the end of the hood had fox ears.
“Hey Sakura, what do you think about that?”
“He’s definitely going to love it. Let's go in, you have to try it on.”
“Uh?”
“You and Naruto wear the same size, I don't want to bring him one that is too big for him, so you will do me the favor of trying it on” she replied with a smile that Sasuke could not refuse.
The dependent took several sizes for him to try on and left them alone.
“Please, Sakura, finish quickly” Sasuke said as he posed to see how it suited him.
“But if it fit you” Sakura replied while she had to turn over him “Although it doesn't look good on you” she said between giggles.
“It's horrible, it's a color too flashy.”
“So, it's perfect for Naruto.”
“And for me? Which one would be perfect?” he asked, provoking her now that she had stood in front of him and their faces were a few centimeters apart.
Sakura stood like a tomato due to this question. What did he imply with this question? Did he want her to answer that question seriously? Or was he joking?
Luckily for Sakura, the dependent arrived before she had time to answer.
“Do you have everything clear?” she asked them.
“Yes, we took this one from here” Sakura replied urgently before Sasuke insisted on his question again.
When they left the store, Sakura proposed that they go to have lunch.
“What do you want to eat?” Sasuke asked.
“If I'm honest, I want ramen.”
“Me too, let's go eat ramen” with which Sakura nodded and they headed towards the restaurant.
* At that moment Naruto felt a chill, was anyone going to eat ramen without it? *
While they were eating, Sakura noticed that Sasuke's cell phone kept lighting up.
“Sasuke-kun is something urgent happening? You don't stop getting messages.”
“Ignore it, it's just my brother and my foolish cousin who are bored and have been talking on the group chat all day.”
They finished eating and went to the figures' shop but it turned out to be closed.
“As there is still a while left before the store reopens, do you want to see a movie in the cinema?” Sasuke suggested.
“Yes, that way we can make time.2
They had chosen an animated film since it was the shortest. There were not many people in the room, only a family with their children, an elderly couple and a group of friends. Sasuke and Sakura were centered on the screen, but the furthest from it. In addition, small popcorn had been bought to share. Once they turned off the lights and during the trailers they began to eat the popcorn while commenting in a low voice on the trailers they saw.
“I feel that Naruto will force us to watch that movie” Sakura commented between giggles.
“Rest assured, action and superheroes? Of course he will force us” Sasuke added laughing as well.
Once the trailers ran out, the movie started and the package of popcorn was already halfway through. Due to the conical shape of the container, their hands were increasingly rubbing against each other when they picked up the food, causing both to blush and apologize to each other for the contact.
They ran out of popcorn and left the container on the seat that Sasuke had on the left, which was no one there. Ten minutes passed and Sasuke longed for Sakura's contact, it wasn't a big deal, but those involuntary touches had caused him to want to hold her hand, but how was he going to do it? They weren't a couple or anything, what if she rejected him and got angry and left the room? He couldn't risk it.
Five, ten more minutes passed and Sasuke did not stop looking at her out of the corner of his eye, she was attentive to the film with her arms resting on the armrests, while he did not stop thinking about her. So he decided to do what he did best: play the disinterested.
He leaned to his left and rested his head on his left hand, the right arm resting on the other armrest, so that his hand was close to Sakura's, and he began to ‘watch the movie’.
Sakura did not miss this act and thought "Sasuke-kun has been watching me since the movie started, could it be that he is not liking the movie and wants us to leave? But now it seems that he is paying attention to it. And his hand... It's so close to mine! Shannaro! What would happen if I brought mine closer to his? Oh, no! What if I scare him away and he decides to get up and leave the room?"
As if an inner Sakura was controlling her, she brushed off her fear and moved her hand slightly to the left. This gesture did not go unnoticed by Sasuke and to Sakura's surprise, he imitated the gesture, but to the right, towards her. Sakura tried once again and this time her pinkies touched. But what happened next Sakura did not expect. Sasuke intertwined his fingers causing Sakura to almost faint.
If someone had asked them what the movie was about, neither of them would have been able to answer since they spent the rest of the movie like this, with their fingers intertwined, Sakura red as a tomato and Sasuke with a slight smile on his face with cheeks a little pink, neither of them getting to pay attention to the movie.
When they left the cinema, they went to get the left present, occasionally looking at each other out of the corner of their eyes without mentioning what happened during the film.
When they arrived at the store, not only did they find a figure that met the requirements they were looking for, but Sakura also found a purse that she knew Naruto was going to love.
“What a joy that we already have the presents” exclaimed Sakura while sitting on a bench.
"Hn," Sasuke nodded.
“Do you feel like doing something else, Sasuke-kun?”
"No," Sakura became sad “My brother has come for me, he wants me to accompany him on an errand” lied the black-haired, since he had left the cinema, he had not stopped thinking about how to sneak out to buy her a present for Christmas and he thought that this was the perfect excuse.
"Oh, I understand," said the hairy woman as she got up from the bench. “I'll stay for a walk because Ino has asked me to buy her something” she also lied, who, like him, also wanted to give him a present for Christmas. “See you in class on Monday” she said goodbye with a big smile and waving her hand as she walked away in the opposite direction to Sasuke.
“Yes, see you” said goodbye the black-haired with his hand and a smile on his face.
Yes, he was in love. He had to find a present that lived up to what he felt and was able to transmit it. Luckily, he knew where to find it.
He went around the jewelry store several times, of course they were very beautiful ornaments, but they were not up to Sakura's level. Until he found what he was looking for.
“Good afternoon gentleman, how can I help you?” asked the dependent of the jewelry store.
“The cherry blossom bracelet, can you show it to me?” asked the young man.
“Of course, wait for me to bring it” and the dependent disappeared to look for the bracelet.
“Sasuke.” a voice he knew quite well called him.
“Kakashi, what are you doing here?” The gray-haired man was tucked away in a corner of the store and the teenager hadn't even noticed he was there. ‘Our passionate evening’ he read the title of the book his teacher was holding in his hand ‘Yes, he will definitely like the present. Good thing I put them in my backpack and he can't see them.’ Sasuke thought.
"Here you go," interrupted the dependent. As you can see, it has a magnetic closure and if you want you can engrave whatever you want. It is included with the Christmas promotion. Do you want us to engrave something for you?” he asked kindly while Sasuke glanced at the bracelet closely.
“Yes, can you engrave the word ‘Thank you’?” the dependent was surprised to see that he did not tell him the name of any woman, but he did not raise any objections.
“Okay young man, if you wait a few minutes for me to engrave it, there you have a seat” and the dependent disappeared again to prepare the present for him.
“I see that if I ask, you won't tell me who the lucky one is” Kakashi commented with an arched eyebrow.
“It's none of your business” replied the black-haired dryly.
“I'm sure it doesn't have to do with a young girl with pink hair that you like to play with in class while you're distracted, am I wrong?” he replied with a mocking smile that he hid behind his mask.
Sasuke tried to intimidate him with his gaze, but his rosy cheeks gave him away.
“Mr. Kakashi, can you come for a moment?” another store dependent asked him. “Mr. Obito complains to you.”
"It seems that they are calling me," said Kakashi exasperated. “See you in class. Oh, and it will fit her perfectly," he said goodbye with a wink in the eye.
Minutes later, the dependent returned with the bracelet and wrapped it as a present. Finally Sasuke left the store and walked home with a smile on his face.
Once at home, he was greeted by his brother and cousin who were lying on the sofa with their phones.
“How was your date with Sakura-chan?” asked Itachi who was lying on the sofa next to Shisui.
“It wasn't a date” Sasuke replied dryly, ignoring the two young men who were on their phones.
“But if you've even been to the movies, that only happens on dates” Shisui accused him mockingly.
“How do you know that...?”
“Because for about two hours you didn't have coverage, and whenever you go to the cinema you turn off your phone.”
“Have you been spying on me, based on whether I received messages or not? Is that why today, you were so encouraged by the group chat? To control me?” Sasuke asked, who was starting to get angry with the duo.
Shisui and Itachi glanced at each other sideways avoiding Sasuke's gaze.
“Oh Sasu-chan! How was your date with Sakura-chan?” asked Mikoto, who had just entered the room.
“Oh, come on!” exclaimed a Sasuke fed up with his family as he headed to his room.
"According to him, he says it wasn't a date," Shisui replied to his aunt who didn't understand the situation. “But according to our research, it was a date” he said while showing the screen of his phone to Mikoto causing a happy smile on her face as she approached the youngest to tell her about their research.
In his room, Sasuke remembered today and smiled when he saw the present he had bought for Sakura, who decided to keep it in a drawer of his dresser so that no one would find it. For the next few days, every time they saw each other, they both reacted timidly. They remembered that ‘date’ at the cinema and blushed. Sasuke wished for Christmas to come so that he could give the present to Sakura and be brave enough to confess what he felt. Not only was Sasuke in this situation, Sakura felt the same.
Finally that day arrived. And that night, they both dared to exchange their presents and tell each other what they felt.